


Opportunity Knocks

by RegalLove2



Category: Once Upon A Time - Fandom, Outlaw Queen - Fandom
Genre: Advent Calendar 2019, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 00:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21908491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegalLove2/pseuds/RegalLove2
Summary: Here is this years Advent entry.It comes as quite a surprise to Regina when she comes home for Christmas to find that her father has taken in a homeless stranger and his four year old son.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	Opportunity Knocks

The rain was pounding down steadily outside, having picked up increasingly since he walked into the little grocery store down the street. He wasn’t in a rush and, while he loved the rain, he was getting too old to be running through it, much less driving in it. It was only five but the sun had long since disappeared behind the clouds and the sky was dark, just another thing he had to be careful with. So he stood under the awning and waited, watching the droplets hit the pavement and waiting for a little lull in the downpour. People walked in and out of the market, waving or smiling in his direction as they went on by. Some even offered to help, but he was an independent man and much more of a giver than a receiver. There were always others who needed the help more than he did. 

When the steady pounding of the rain decreased just a tad, he went for it. He walked at a brisk pace but didn’t bother running. The last thing he needed was a fall in the street. A little water wouldn’t kill him, after all. Once he was finally in the warmth of his car, he let out a shaky sigh of relief. He hadn’t even had time to start the engine before his phone started chiming from his coat pocket. He smiled immediately, patting around to locate the little device. He didn’t need to look at the screen to know who was calling. “Hello, darling. A bit later than usual, hm?”

A sigh came through the other line but still, he could tell she was smiling. “Yes, busy day at work. How are you, daddy?”

“I’m much better than most. Tell me about your day, sweetheart.” He always answered those questions the same way. He had a good life. He was happy and healthy, loved and always had plenty to give back. The only thing he lacked was the extra time he craved with his daughter. But, even then, she always made time to call. Every Tuesday night. So, he couldn’t complain. 

“Not much to tell. It was a long day, just walked in the door, actually.”

She went on to tell him about her day and he listened intently to every word. He missed his little angel every single day. She’d gotten a three year internship in London right after graduating college and no one deserved it more. She nearly didn’t take the thing, wanting to stay with him but, as much as he loathed to see her go, he couldn’t allow her to pass up on such an opportunity. So, it’d been two years and seven months since he’d last seen his not-so-little girl and god, how he missed her. These chats would have to do for now. They talked for twenty minutes or so, not as long as usual but it was late where she was and he was still sitting in his car.

After he hung up with his daughter, he fastened his seat belt and started his car, praying that he could make it home safely in this awful weather. Right before turning out of the parking lot, he spotted a man leaning against his car. Even without seeing his face, he could tell that he needed help. His posture just radiated defeat. He didn’t even have to think about it, he just quickly pulled into the spot next to him and climbed out of his car, getting close enough to the man for his umbrella to hang over his head. The moment that the strangers eyes met his, Henry’s heart almost broke. He’d seen that look before, his issue was clearly one that held more weight than a broken down car or a bad day. He was a soldier.

Sighing, Henry moved just a tad closer. The sound of the rain was loud and he didn’t want to yell when he asked, “I was going to offer a jump for your car, but I don’t think that’s your problem, is it?”

“No, sir.” His voice was slightly shaky when he answered. 

For the first time since the older man got out of his car, he noticed the man in front of him shivering. Sitting on the hood next to him was a soaked piece of cardboard with black letters that were beginning to bleed more and more together with each drop of rain. Even so, he could still make out what they said. He couldn’t help but shake his head. Sadness and pity for the stranger washed over him just as quickly as the rain trickled down the windows of his car. “You need to get out of this rain, son. You’ll be sick.” 

“I’m not worried about me.” The way his eyes moved to look through the window of the car was very brief, almost unnoticeable. 

But, Henry did notice and he couldn’t help but follow the line of sight. When he did, he spotted something in the backseat, covered with blankets and clothes. “Is… Is that a child?”  
  
The man looked back up, hesitation and defeat coloring his face. “Yes, that’s my son.” His eyes moved back toward the window and he stared through it longingly for a few minutes. “Thank you for your concern, I’ll be out of the rain in a bit, I promise. I’m just waiting for someone.”

“For whom?” When he didn’t receive an answer right away, Henry pushed. “Surely, this person wouldn’t mind you waiting in the warmth of your car. Why must you stand in the rain?”

“I don’t want to miss her.” He glanced toward the grocery store and then looked back at the older man standing in front of him. His shoulders fell again and he sighed. “There’s a woman that works there. Once a week, she brings out some things that the store is going to toss out and she gives them to me.”

“Oh.” Henry grew silent, his mind telling him to do one thing and his heart telling him to do another. He didn’t really have to think on it too much to know he should listen to the latter. “I’m assuming you have your driver's license?”

The young man tilted his head in confusion, though he still answered, “Yes.”

“Well then, I have a proposition for you.” Henry glanced back into the car, knowing that he couldn’t leave father and son outside for the night. They clearly didn’t have anywhere to go, if the stacks of clothes and personal effects in the car were any indication. He turned back to the man standing next to him. “I have one more errand to run and then I need to go home. My eyesight isn’t great and it’s become exceedingly difficult for me to drive at night, especially in the rain.”

“You want me to drive you somewhere?”

“Yes. And, as a thank you, I’ll provide you with a good meal and a place to sleep for the night.” 

He looked between the old man standing in front of him and his sons sleeping form. “You don’t even know me. Why would you get into a car with a stranger?”

Henry shrugged. “What’s your name, son?”

“Robin. Robin Locksley.”

Holding out his hand, he smiled, “Nice to meet you, Robin. I’m Henry Mills. Now, we’re acquaintances. That’s better than strangers, wouldn’t you say?” He could still see hesitation on the young man's face, pride holding out though he was starting to come around. “Please, you’d be doing me a favor. My daughter would be furious if she found out that I drove home in this weather.”

“You have a daughter?”

Henry could tell that he’d convinced him. Any father knows how important their children are. “I do, she’s all grown up and I’d love to tell you all about her but first, we need to get out of this rain.” He turned away just a little, moving toward the side of his car. “Grab your son and anything else you need for then night. I’ll bring you back to your car in the morning. Okay?”

Robin nodded then stopped in his tracks. “Would you mind waiting just a little longer? The bread that the woman gives me lasts a week, I need that for Roland.”

Henry smiled sympathetically. “Don’t worry about that, I just bought a whole loaf. I’m sure it’s much better than the stale one you’d get tonight. It’s yours. ” He didn’t wait for an answer, just pushed his umbrella into Robin’s hands and turned back to his own car, climbing in the passenger seat. 

Just a minute later, Robin placed his still sleeping son and his booster in the backseat and climbed into the drivers side. “Where to?”  
________

When they pulled into the Target parking lot, Henry hesitated. “I’m assuming you don’t want to come inside?”

Robin nodded. “I’d prefer to stay out here, yes. I’m soaking wet and Roland is asleep.” Then, he stopped. “If you’re worried about leaving me alone with your car, I assure you-“

“Not worried at all. I’ll be ten, fifteen minutes at most. Just drop me off up front and swing back around when you see me at the door.” Without another word, Henry climbed out of the car and walked inside. Truthfully, before he met Robin, he had no intention of running any other errands. Then, he noticed that the clothes that his son was wearing were at least two sizes too small. 

He grabbed a few clothing items of various sizes for both the boy and his father. Just some pajamas and simple clothes for Roland and some sweatpants and t-shirts for Robin. Then, he picked out some snacks and things that he thought the boy might like. He’d planned on making something simple for dinner, since it was just supposed to be him. But now, he wanted to do something filling. He grabbed a rotisserie chicken, some potatoes, corn, and two extra loafs of bread before checking out.

As soon as he walked out the door, he saw his car begin to move. He waited under the awning until Robin pulled up to the curb and then he climbed in, putting the bags by his feet and buckling up his seat belt. “Thank you.”

Robin smiled. “Is there anywhere else you need to go?”

“Just home. It’s already well after the usual time that I eat dinner and I’m sure you’re hungry.” Again, he didn’t wait for an answer from the young man. “I don’t live far from here.” 

Robin followed his directions without a word until they pulled into his driveway. “Are you sure about this? Taking a stranger into your home isn’t the wisest thing to do. I’d be happy with just the loaf of bread.”

Henry chuckled. “Robin… I have a way of reading people, son and, from the moment I saw you, I could tell you weren’t someone who ended up in your position because of bad choices. There’s more to your story and, whether or not you share it with me is your choice, but I have the means to help and I intend to.” Leaning down, he grabbed all the bags at his feet, shifting them onto his arms the best he could. “Now, I’ve got the bags, you get your son. Once you’re settled, I’ll start on dinner.”

________

Roland was awake by the time Robin walked through the door with him. Just as he appeared in the kitchen, Henry heard the little boy speak for the first time. “Where are we, papa?”

“We are staying at a friend’s house for the night.”

Roland looked around with big eyes, “This is a big house!”

Both adults chuckled. Henry walked over to the father and son, leaning against the counter. Robin set down his little boy and crouched in front of him. “Yes, it is. And, it was very nice of my friend to invite us here tonight. Can you say hello to Mr.Henry, please?”

The toddler looked up at the older man and smiled, “Hello, Mr. Henry. I’m Roland.”

Henry crouched down until he was eye level with him and smiled, “Hi, Roland. Very nice to meet you.” After standing up, he looked at Robin. “Let me show you your room so you can put your stuff down.” He reached across the counter and grabbed the bags with the clothes, leading them upstairs to one of the guest rooms. “Here’s your room. I got you both some clothes-“

“You didn’t have to do-“

“I know.” Turning to open the door, he smiled. “The bathroom is just down the hall, first door on the left. Go give Roland a bath and then you can send him downstairs for some cartoons while you take a shower. I’ll go start on dinner.”

Henry walked back toward the door but stopped when he heard his name. “Henry,” Robin waited until the old man turned back around. “Thank you so much. I don’t know how I can repay you.”

“There’s nothing to repay.” And with that, he walked away. 

______ 

While making dinner, he could hear Roland singing upstairs. He was clearly a happy kid and tremendously loved despite his father’s unfortunate luck. He missed the days when his Regina was that young. 

A while later Roland was all clean, sporting his cozy new pajamas. Henry put on Peter Pan for the boy, it was one of Regina’s favorites growing up. Robin was still upstairs while Henry cooked dinner. He put the chicken in the oven on low to keep it warm while he made his famous garlic mashed potatoes. Robin emerged, offering to help but he was just taking the chicken and bread out of the oven, it was already done.

He filled their plates to the brim, happy to see Roland enjoying the food just as much as his father. “Is your daughter your only family?”

Henry was broken from his little daze by the question but smiled nonetheless. He could go on for hours about his little girl. “Yes, she is.” Taking a bite of his own food, he chuckled. “She’s everything.”

Roland looked up from his plate, bouncing gently in his seat. “Where is she? Can I play with her?”

Robin laughed. “He hasn’t quite grasped the concept of time.”

“No worries,” Henry chuckled. “Unfortunately, Roland, she’s not here. She’s all grown up and living in London.”

“That’s where Papa is from!” 

“Is it?” The older man glanced between son and father.

“Mhmm.” The toddler nodded his head. “But papa says it’s far away. Why would your daughter go away from you?”

“Roland-“

“No, it’s quite alright.” Henry assured Robin. “Well Roland, when she finished school, she was given the chance to work at a really, really good job in London. But, she’ll be back soon!”

“But doesn’t she miss you?”

The old man smiles. “Not as much as I miss her, I’m sure.”

“What does she do, if you don’t mind my asking?” Robin spoke up. 

“She’s in marketing and advertising. The internship she accepted was for three years so, she won’t be home until June.” 

Robin dropped his fork and raised his eyebrows in question, “You haven’t seen her in over two years? I don’t think I could ever be away from my child that long.”

“Yes ,well, it certainly isn’t easy. But you’ll see. As a parent, you’ll do anything for your children. That’s something I’m sure you’re already aware of.”

The younger man didn’t answer, just nodded his head lightly and turned back to his food, finishing eating in silence. 

—————

Later that night, after Roland was all tucked in and sound asleep, Robin re-emerged. He found Henry sitting on the couch with a book in hand and he sat down across from him. “I feel like I owe you an explanation.”

The older man looked up from his book and pushed his glasses down, eyes meeting Robins. “An explanation for what?”

“For how I ended up on the streets with my four year old son. Everyone assumes drugs or alcohol but I assure you that-“

“I didn’t assume anything of the sort. If I had, I probably wouldn’t have invited you into my home.” Closing his book and setting it on the coffee table, he leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees and look closely at the man sitting across from him. “Your story belongs to you. I don’t want you to feel obligated to share it. If it’s something you want to do, I’m happy to lend an ear, but it wasn’t part of the deal when I offered you a place to stay.”

Robin sighs in relief, head falling into his hands. “I appreciate that.”

They both go silent for a few minutes and Henry observes him closely. The way that his fingers dance around the tan line on his left ring finger, how his eyes have gotten slightly watery, cast down at his hands. “May I ask one question, though?” Robin looks up and meets his eyes, nodding his head. “That sign you had sitting on the hood of your car.. if I read it correctly, it said, ‘Not looking for charity, looking for an opportunity.’ Is that true?”

Robins shoulders fell. “Yes sir. My father... before he passed, he used to always tell me the story of the fisherman who would bring fish to this family every day in exchange for a few pounds. One day, the father realized that he’d spent so much of his hard earned money on fish that he could’ve just as easily caught himself. So, instead of buying food from the man, he asked him to teach him how to catch it himself. He paid for a lesson instead of a product and it ended up helping him in the long run.” He sighs, running his fingers through his hair and letting his eyes meet Henry’s. “I never thought I’d be in a position where that lesson would actually be of importance but, here I am. I’ll take what I can get but, it won’t last. I know I need a job it’s just.... I’ve got no one to watch my son and most places don’t take kindly to having a four year old running around.”

“Hmm. Well, I certainly understand that part of your predicament.” Henry leans back against the couch and crosses his arms over his chest, contemplating a crazy idea in his head. Before he voices it, he has one more question he needs to know the answer to. “You don’t have any family?” 

He can see the sadness that immediately colors Robins face. “Not that I know of. My father passed when I was young. I was an only child of two parents who were also only children.” Looking down at his fingers again, he smiles sadly. “My mother wasn’t happy when I decided to stay in the States. She didn’t approve of my relationship with the woman that would later become my wife. We had a bit of a falling out and haven’t talked since.” His fingers start circling the spot on his finger where a ring is clearly missing. “I tried to reach out a little over two years ago, I couldn’t find any information on her and all her contacts must’ve changed.”

He can tell there’s more, but he’s not going to ask. He knows Robin will share if, and when he’s ready to do so. As far as Henry is concerned, he’s got enough information to make the decision he’s been contemplating. “If you truly want an opportunity, I have an offer for you.” He sits up straighter and pulls his reading glasses off entirely. “This house requires a lot of upkeep. There’s a farm out back with horses, chickens, and even a few cows. I grow and sell a lot of produce. The apple orchard takes a lot of maintenance and, when October rolls around, the farm gets very busy. It’s becoming too much work for an old man like me. So, in exchange for your help on the farm, I can offer you the same thing I’ve given you tonight. A roof over your head and food on the table.”

Robin’s mouth falls open in shock. “I have no experience working on a farm.”

“It’s not terribly difficult, just time consuming and requires a little more strength then I have as of late. I can teach you everything you need to know, if you’re interested.”

Nodding his head slowly, his eyes met those of the man across from him. “And Roland?”

Henry smiles. “He’s welcome to play on the farm or, I’ll watch him. It’s been a long time since I’ve been around children. I miss when my Regina was that age.”

Robin shakes his head. “This is too much. I cannot ask you to let me live in your home and for you to watch my son while I just do a few chores on the farm.”

“You’re not asking me, I’m offering. There’s a difference.” Henry smiles. “I’m still capable of doing some things. I’d say if you could do four hours a day during the week, that’d be plenty helpful. That way, you could still spend time with your son. I’d say 20 hours worth of work a week is fair, wouldn’t you?”

“That’s more than fair.” Robin squares his shoulders. “It’s too generous, in fact.”

“No.” Henry holds up a finger. “Because, I have another condition.” Robin asks what it is and he’s quick to answer. “You need to find a job as well. Just like in your story, this is providing you with what you need in the moment, not what you need for the long haul. You won’t have to pay me a single penny, your work at the farm will be your payment for food and living. All of the money you make while under this roof is to be saved so that you can start your life again.”

Robin stares at the man, dumbfounded. His pride wanted to turn the offer down, knowing that it was far too generous but, the statement that the older man made at dinner kept ringing in his ears. He’d do anything for his son. “Why are you doing this?”

“Look around, son. I’ve got more than I’ve ever needed. Why not help someone who doesn’t have enough?” Henry winked as he stood up, “Think about it. We’ll talk in the morning.” And, with that, he patted Robins shoulder and disappeared to his room down the hall. 

Robin walked up the stairs to the guest room and climbed into bed next to his son, but he didn’t sleep. As Roland snuggled closer to him, he couldn’t help but think about how, earlier that day, he thought his life was going to be over. Now, he’s got a second chance, and all because of a kind stranger. 

———

Robin ended up accepting Henry’s offer. It was mid August when he and Roland moved into the house and, by the end of the month, Robin knew how to handle everything on the farm. Most days, he’d wake up before Roland to get in a couple hours and he’d finish while his son was taking a nap in the afternoon. Sometimes, he’d take Roland with him, teaching him how to brush the horses or feed the chickens. Either way, every bit of free time that Robin had was spent with his son and it was clear that he was still extremely reluctant to leave him. Henry pulled some strings and, in the beginning of September, Marco offered Robin a job that could be done after-hours. He’d put Roland to bed each night and then go over to Marco’s shop. There were various things to do, mostly tedious tasks that would leave more time for the old man to actually build and carve pieces. Every night, he’d sweep up all of the wood shavings from the floors and countertops, sand down any wood slabs that Marco left for him, and sharpen tools. Nothing was particularly difficult and he was just thankful to have some money coming in. 

It wasn’t until early October that Robin began to open up to Henry. In bits and pieces, he revealed his story. It only made Henry gain more respect and compassion for the man that he’d invited into his home two months prior. 

Robin was a completely different man then the one he’d seen in that parking lot on that rainy evening. Defeat had given way to determination and any bit of shame he held slowly faded. They grew pretty close as the end of Summer faded into Fall. Henry developed a special relationship with Roland, always there to entertain the boy and even helping Robin teach him his letters and numbers. 

The old man couldn’t help but feel like he was getting much more out of their deal than Robin realized. Whether the father and son knew it or not, they’d given a lonely man a family. He’d always had his Regina but, with her being thousands of miles away, the past two years of his life had been lacking. They brought joy back into it. 

So, in mid November, when Robin brought up the idea of moving out, Henry was both proud and incredibly sad. The young man had saved every single penny he’d made and had finally come up with enough of a cushion to afford a few months rent in an apartment. Still, Henry feared that it wasn’t enough. He didn’t want this reprieve to be temporary. He’d had trouble sleeping that night, doing the math in his head and trying to figure out if he wanted them to stay for selfish reasons or, if it was the most logical decision. The more that he thought about it, the more he was convinced that moving out at that time wasn’t the best idea. He’d still need someone to watch Roland, after all. Childcare wasn’t cheap and it didn’t make sense to pay for something that Henry would happily do for free. He’d brought all of that up and more when he talked to Robin the next day. His suggestion was that the man wait until the spring to move out. That way, he’d have even more money saved and, his son would be starting school a few months later. He could get settled into his new place by summer and enjoy a little more time with Roland without stressing about money. Once the boy was in Kindergarten, Robin could get a full time job. 

Robin took a few days to think about it himself but, there was no fault in Henry’s logic and even he couldn’t deny that. Plus, he had to admit that he enjoyed living on the farm. There was plenty of space for Roland to run around and he’d been able to teach his son a lot about the outdoors and animals. That, and Roland was not happy with the idea of leaving _his_ Henry. Even though he was ready to live on his own again a and be the sole provider for his son, he knew he’d miss living with Henry. That, and he could tell that Henry didn’t want them to leave. So, they stayed. Robin kept his job at Marco’s, much to the old mans relief. Once a week, he would even come in late and teach Robin how to carve. And during the day, he still worked on the farm. He’d come to enjoy it, actually and it became something that he could share with Roland. 

When Thanksgiving rolled around, he was sure that he’d never had so much to be thankful for. 

_________

Despite the fact that it was the last day of November, it wasn’t quite cold enough outside for the flurries to stick. As she walked the quaint little streets of her hometown, she watched the little white drops of snow hit the ground and disappear as quickly as they’d fallen. She couldn’t help but smile when she held out her hand and watched them melt the moment that they hit her palm. God, she had missed this place. 

It had been a little over two and a half years since she’d last been home. When she left, she didn’t dwell on it. After all, it was just a town, a simple place that would always be there to come back to. But, it was so much more than that. It was a different memory at every turn, pictures filtering through her mind as if they’d happened just yesterday. The large crack in the sidewalk outside of Granny’s that she and her father used to pretend was a river you had to jump over, the tree in the park that she’d climb until her knees and elbows were scraped up and bleeding, the faded blue markings on the floor outside of Marco’s where she once drew with permanent marker instead of chalk, and so many more. Two years doesn’t seem like all that long in retrospect but, she finally understands what people mean when they say that you don’t know what you’re missing until it’s gone. 

On top of all that, when she left, she also said goodbye to her father. Leaving him was the hardest part and, she nearly didn’t accept the internship. But, Henry was nothing if not a stubborn man- a trait she most definitely inherited from him. He’d told her that she had to go and live her life and that he would be just fine, knowing that his daughter was happy. So, she’d gone and not a single day had gone by where she didn’t think of him or wish she could see him in person. They talked every single week and she sent him postcards and pictures galore, but it wasn’t the same as being there with him.

Technically, she wasn’t supposed to be home until the summer. The contract was for a three year study in London and she still had a good five months to go but, she was determined. For the past year, she’d put in as much overtime as possible, worked on as many projects as they’d allow, and met every deadline early. By mid November, she’d clocked in more hours than some of the senior advertising executives at the firm. So, she’d packed up her bags and left with a job offer that she had no intention of accepting and a portfolio full of work and glowing recommendations. The only thing she wanted at the moment was some quality time with her favorite person in the whole world.

When she finally walked up the front steps of her childhood home, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She hadn’t told her father that she was coming so, instead of unlocking the door herself, she knocked lightly. When there was no answer, she let herself in. He probably wasn’t home. 

Dropping her bags by the front door, she smiled. Nothing had changed, it even smelled like cinnamon, the same way that it always did around Christmas. Lingering in the hallway, she admired all of the old photos on the wall. Summer trips, horseback riding competitions, graduations, and birthdays. He had never missed an occasion. And, though it irked her at the time, she was thankful that he always insisted upon pictures. If her stroll through the town wasn't enough of a trip down memory lane, these photos sure would have done it. When she finally approached the living room, she ran her fingers along the frames that sat above the fireplace, pausing to pick up one of her all-time favorite photos. That day captured in the picture would forever be ingrained in her mind. It was the first time she’d ever mounted a horse and her father was standing right next to her with a face full of pride. She can’t ever remember being as happy as she was in that moment. She was so caught up in the memory that she didn’t hear the person descending the stairs so, when she heard a question of her name fall from an unfamiliar voice, she jumped and whipped around to look for the source. After scanning the room, her eyes landed on him. He was still standing on the staircase, seemingly surprised to see her. Though, if anyone had the right to be surprised, it would definitely be her, for the man in front of her was not her father. Hugging the frame to her chest for comfort, she asked, “Who the hell are you?” 

Perhaps it wasn't the nicest way to pose the question, but she was taken off guard and, the only thing she could think of when she saw him was how comfortable he looked in her father's home when, seemingly, her father wasn't even there. He’d clearly just gotten out of the shower. His hair was dripping slightly and he was lacking a shirt, dressed in only sweatpants with a towel thrown over his shoulder. “I’m Robin,” he chuckled and finished his decent, holding his hand out to her. 

She looked down but didn’t take it, just backed away slightly. “What are you doing here?” Then, glancing around, she met his eyes again, “And, where is my father?”

“He went for his afternoon walk a little while ago.” Dropping his hand to rest at his side, Robin’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion. “I assumed that Henry would’ve mentioned me.”

Regina rolled her eyes, “Do you think I’d be asking if he did?” Deciding that he wasn’t a real threat, she pushed past him and walked back over to the fireplace, setting the frame back in its spot before turning back toward him. “If he’s not home, why are you in his house?” She didn’t try to hide the disapproving once over she gave him when she asked the question and, he had the decency to look a little apologetic. He tried to excuse himself, telling her that he wasn’t expecting anyone to be there and that he’d just go slip into something more presentable, but he was stopped again. “You didn’t answer my question.”

Robin let out a little sigh, hand coming to rub at the back of his neck nervously. “I live here.”

Her mouth fell open in shock, “What do you mean by _live_ here?”

“Exactly what it implies.” When she crossed her arms over her chest at his snarky response, he groaned. “I’m sorry, I thought that Henry would’ve told you. It’s-“

“Thinking doesn’t seem to be working in your favor.”

“Excuse me?” Now, it was his turn to cross his arms over his chest. 

“You heard me.” Her eyebrows went up, almost as if challenging him. 

Running his fingers through his damp hair, he turned and walked toward the back door. He could feel her eyes on him when he grabbed a hoodie from the hook and pulled it swiftly over his head, forgoing a shirt underneath. After slipping on some boots, he opened the door. “I think..” He stopped, rolling his eyes. It was clear she didn’t care what he thought. “You and Henry obviously need to talk. Tell him I’m in the stables, he can send Roland there.”

He closed the door behind him before she could even ask who Roland was. Groaning, she yanked off her hat and angrily combed through her hair. “Who does he think he is?” She stomped around furiously for a solid two minutes, trying to come up with some explanation as to why her father wouldn’t have told her that he invited someone to live in their house.

Reaching into her coat pocket, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed his number. It rang twice in her ear before she heard the chiming in the kitchen. She followed the noise to find her father’s phone sitting on the counter. Groaning, she hung up and tucked her device back in her pocket. After another few minutes of silence, she threw her hat back on her head and stomped outside, walking down the path to the stables.

When she entered the barn, she spotted him leaning over a table, sanding down slabs of wood. “Why on earth are you doing that right now?”

He glanced over his shoulder at her briefly before turning his focus back to the task at hand. “You sure ask a lot of questions.”

“Yes, well. Apparently you’re great at avoiding them.”

Even though she couldn’t see him, he rolled his eyes. “Me and Great in one sentence? I guess I should take that as a compliment.”

“Maybe you should. I’m sure you don’t get many of those.” She whispered under her breath. Turning, she walked toward one of the stalls and leaned on it, reaching her hand out to pet the horse inside. “Hi, girl. I’ve missed you.”

Robin let out a little snort at the comment and she quickly whirled around to look at him. “Have something to say?”

Facing her now, he leant against the table and crossed his arms over his chest. “For no apparent reason, that horse of yours hates me almost as much as you seem to.”

Smirking, she ran her hand along the snout of her horse. “She’s a good judge of character.”

“What the hell is your problem? You’re so fast to judge but you don’t even know me.”

Once again, she turned to face him. “That _is_ my problem. I show up to my home expecting to find my father and instead, I find a half naked stranger.” She gives him a look filled with as much disgust as she can muster. “You tell me you’re living here but refuse to answer any other questions. And then, you storm outside to sand wood? It’s ridiculous.”

“You know what’s ridiculous? You showing up out of the blue and attacking me for something I didn’t do.” Pushing himself off the table, he takes a step closer. “Henry talks to you _all_ the time. How was I supposed to know that he didn’t tell you about me, hmm?”

Taking a step forward, she locks eyes with him, ready to dispute any argument that he brings up. “You-“ She doesn’t finish, stopped by the vibration coming from her coat pocket. 

“Can’t come up with anything, huh?” Smirking, his arms fall to his side.

“Shut up.” Pulling her phone out, she holds it up to him, a silent explanation as to why she didn’t finish her remark. Relief floods over her when she sees her fathers name on the screen. Robin is still standing a few feet in front of her and, knowing that her father is now home, she mutters angrily, “Excuse me.” 

She doesn’t wait for him to respond, just turns and stalks out of the barn. When she walks through the back door, she finds her father leaning across the island in the kitchen, smiling down at a young boy sitting across from him. She’s so incredibly confused. “Daddy?”

Henry looks up, eyes meeting hers and lighting up immediately. The sight calms her just a little. “Regina? What are you doing here?” He pushes himself off the counter and walks briskly to her, pulling her into a hug. His hands move up to frame her face when he pulls back. “I didn’t think you’d be home until Spring!”

Her hands move up to rest over his on her face and she pulls them down. “I’ll tell you all about that soon, but I think there’s a more pressing issue that we need to address.” Just then, she feels a tugging on her coat. Looking down, she meets the wide eyes of a toddler. 

“You’re Gina? Mr. Henry tells me stories about you all the time!”

She’s not quite sure what to say, she wishes she could honestly return the sentiment but, unfortunately, she has no earthly idea who the child in front of her is. “What’s your name, honey?” She crouches down to be eye level with the kid, locking eyes with her father as she does.

The little boy smiles brightly and squares his shoulders. “I’m Roland! I’m four!” His chubby little fingers emphasize the number when he says it. 

Roland. Her mind starts to connect the dots and she suddenly feels a pounding in her skull. She forces herself to respond before standing. “Nice to meet you.” Once her fathers eyes meet hers again, she tries to convey just how upset she is without words. “Robin asked to send Roland out to the stables.”

Henry’s eyes go a little wider, “You met Robin?”

The little boy next to her jumps excitedly, “That’s my papa!” Then, he turns toward Henry and pleads, “Can I go, please?”

The older man nods, “Of course. Just don’t run down the steps!” Both adults watch the kid walk toward the door and disappear outside before saying anything but, it’s Henry who speaks up first. “What did Robin tell you?”

“He told me that he lives here.” Leaning back against the counter top, she grasps her hands together tightly. “You can’t even begin to imagine what a shock that was, what a shock that _is_ ”

Henry looks slightly apologetic, “What else did he tell you?”

“Practically nothing. I swear that the only thing that man is good at is being vague.” She rolls her eyes, “Daddy, please stop skirting around the issue and just tell me what’s going on. How could you invite someone to live with you and not think to mention it to me?”

Pulling a stool out from the island, her father sits down. “It wasn’t that I didn’t think about telling you, Regina. I just knew you wouldn’t approve and, quite frankly, I’m always more concerned about how your life is going when we talk.”

“Well, I can assure you that, had you told me, my reaction wouldn’t have been as bad as it is now. How could you have possibly known that I wouldn’t approve?”

“I know you Regina, you’re protective of those you love and, while I’m honored, I am capable of making my own decisions.” He sighs, leaning his elbows on the counter. “Robin has been nothing but helpful since he and Roland moved in. It’s been nice, having the company while you’re away.” 

Her eyebrows immediately shoot up. “Exactly how long has he been living here?”

“Just a few months. They moved in at the end of August and are staying until May.”

“A few months! You’ve been keeping this from me for that long?” She groans, starting to pace around the kitchen as she sheds her coat and scarf. “How did this happen? I mean, how did he end up living with you?”

She can see her father fidgeting a little when he finally answers. “When I met Robin, he was in a bad place. He needed help so, I offered him a job. He puts in twenty hours a week on the farm and, in exchange, I gave him a place to live.” He pauses but quickly adds, “He’s helped out a lot, even works more than he needs to most days.”

“Define bad place?”

“That’s not my story to tell.”

“Daddy-“ 

Henry is quick to cut her off. “No, It took a while for him to open up to me about his past. It’s not my place to repeat it.” 

“You can’t just invite a stranger into your home, Daddy. It doesn’t matter how well it worked out for you, that was a huge risk.”

“A risk I was willing to take.”

“How careless-“ She’s interrupted by a knock and, when her eyes follow the sound, she can see Roland and his father standing on the other side of the glass door. Roland’s little face is framed by his hands as he looks excitedly through the window. 

Henry stands up and walks over to the door to let them in. As soon as they enter the house, Robin speaks up. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Roland was getting cold and he’s in desperate need of a bath.” And, with that, he grabs his sons hand and walks him toward the stairs. The last thing she hears before they disappear is Roland asking his father, “Can I still help Mr. Henry make cookies after dinner?”

The interruption in their conversation and the silence that follows helps provide a lull that calms her just a little. “I just don’t think you fully understand how reckless this was, Daddy. And, living in exchange for a little work on the farm doesn’t seem like a fair trade. He’s taking advantage of you and you don’t even see it.”

“He’s doing nothing of the sort.” Walking back toward his daughter, he stops right in front of her. “You are such a smart woman, Regina and I’m proud of you and everything you’ve accomplished every single day. But, you need to remember that, in this relationship, I’m still the adult. I’m still the parent.” He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. “If everyone that had something to give would share what they could with those that don’t have enough, we’d live in a much better world. That is the best advice that I could ever give you, my love.” He can see the frustration on his daughters face when he takes the last step needed to reach out to her. “Now, if you still want to talk about this, it’ll have to wait until later. I have to start on dinner and you should get settled in.” After placing a kiss on her cheek, he starts to walk away but turns one more time, “And Regina… he really is a good man.”

_____________________

Her pride was too strong to allow her to skip out on dinner. No matter how much she dreaded it, locking herself in her room would only make his twisted brain believe that he won. So she went and, after the first five minutes, it was clear that it would be anything but pleasant. If it weren’t for the oblivious four year old, she’s sure it would’ve been silent all the way through. 

Once they were done, all the adults started clearing the table. After dropping his dish in the sink, Roland turned toward Henry, asking excitedly, “Can we make the cookies now?”

The old man chuckled. “We need to clean up the mess from dinner before we make a new one.”

Both Regina and Robin spoke up for the first time, both offering to take care of it. They locked eyes and she fought the urge to roll hers. “Let me, please.” Robin insisted. 

She was about to argue but, Henry jumped in asking if she would help them make the cookies. They were her favorite after all. Her eyebrows shot up, “Cinnamon double chocolate chip?”

Henry smiles, “I thought it was about that time again. They always did turn out better when you had a hand in making them.”

“I haven’t had those in _years_.” Glancing behind her, she noticed that Robin had already started on the dishes. When Roland begged her to help, she couldn’t resist. Making those cookies with her father were some of her favorite moments as a kid. 

Robin excused himself after he finished cleaning the dishes, leaving them on their own. Even from the living room, he could hear the happiness in the voice of his son. He even heard giggles coming from Regina, a side of her that he definitely hadn’t seen. She was infuriating from the moment she walked in that door, clearly stuck in her own ways and too stubborn to consider changing an opinion once it formed. Still, after peaking around the corner to the kitchen and seeing her smiling at his son with flour on both their noses, he had to fight a smile. She wasn’t as cold as the exterior she put on. He just had to find a way to get on her good side or else it’d be a long six months. 

It wasn’t an easy feat to take on.   
__________

The first week that she was back, she hardly said a word to him. She just avoided contact as much as she could, though she was more successful at staying away from him than Roland, apparently. Every night, his son would rave about her and whatever they did that day while he was out working. At first, he was surprised that she spent any time at all with his son. Then, after a few days, he just assumed she wanted to spend the time with her father and, since he was watching Roland while he worked, she had no choice. Still, he didn’t say anything. He was just happy that she was able to put aside her disgust for him and be kind to Roland. 

It wasn’t until the second week she was there that they even talked. He’d gotten up early to take care of the horses, one of his daily chores. He was brushing Max, the third of five horses in their stable when she walked in. He heard her coming before she made an appearance and, when she did step inside, he could feel her eyes on him. He waited to turn around, trying to give her a minute to back out, but she moved further inside, coming to stop in front of the stall that contained her horse. 

When he finally did look up, she was looking elsewhere, clearly trying to avoid a conversation. They were rarely alone though and, he was going to take whatever opportunity he could to try and make amends. 

The only issue was that he had no clue how to begin. “Good morning.”

She turned to look at him, surprised. “Morning.” Turning, she lifted the latch on the stall and walked inside, putting some reins on her horse. “Don’t worry about dealing with Rocinante. I’m going to take her for a ride so I’ll brush her when I get back.”

“I actually don’t take care of her. She doesn’t let me close enough.” He chuckles. “She doesn’t like me, remember?”

“Mm.” Regina runs her hand along the snout of the horse. “So, daddy takes care of her?”

“Yes. Most days, anyway.” He smiles. “Twice a week, I bring Roland with me and he brushes her. She loves Roland.”

She doesn’t respond right away, just mounts her horse -sans saddle, he notes- and slowly pushes her toward the exit of the barn. “He’s a good kid.” And, with that, she takes off. 

He watches her go and contemplates following her but, he decides against it. That has to be the most civil conversation they’ve had since she arrived and he doesn’t want to push it, not yet. 

_________

They have a few more short interactions over the next week. She tries not to indulge him too much, she definitely doesn’t approve of him staying there still. But, with the more time she spends with Roland, it becomes increasingly more difficult for her to feel such disdain for the boy’s father. She doesn’t like him and she’s sure those feelings will never change. It’s just, she can’t help but think that she should at least tolerate him a little more. And, she has to admit that Roland is one of the sweetest children she’s ever met. He deserves a little credit for that. However, admitting all of this would mean admitting she was at least partially wrong and that’s not something she’s ready for quite yet. 

It’s these thoughts that keep her awake two nights in a row. Her blankets are pushed off to the side as she tosses and turns, searching for just a little bit of sleep. When the clock on her bedside table shows that it’s two thirty in the morning, she gives up. 

Quietly, she opens her bedroom door and pads down the stairs. Once in the kitchen, she pulls out a teapot and fills it with water. When she was a little girl and had a bad dream, her father would always make her spearmint tea and tell her a story until she felt sleepy again. She just prayed that it still had the ability to stop her wayward mind. 

Just as she was pouring the warm water into her mug, she caught a glimpse of Robin tip-toeing out of the room. “You don’t have to leave on my account, you know.” She doesn’t need to be facing him head-on to see him turn around and look at her. As much as she hates to say it, he has just as much a right to be in the room as she does. That’s something she _can_ admit. “I may not like it but, you live here. You can use the kitchen.”

He nods lightly, expression conveying his surprise at her words. “I didn’t expect anyone else to be up.”

She’s still not looking at him, just sitting at the stool blowing on her steaming tea. “That makes two of us.”

He walks toward the stove and gestures toward the teapot. “May I?” She nods but doesn’t answer with words. He takes the permission and pulls out a mug, making a cup of tea for himself, too. “Can I ask you a question?”

Finally, she does look at him. Quirking an eyebrow, she lets out a sigh. “I’m not guaranteeing that I’ll answer.”

“That’s fair, I guess.” After finishing his task, he pulls out the stool across from her and slides into it. “Why does it bother you so much that I’m here? Have I done something to offend you?”

“Beside taking advantage of my father?” She knows he’ll dispute it but she doesn’t give him the chance. “Don’t try to argue it. Whether you’re aware of it or not, it’s true. I know that work on the farm isn’t the easiest but, it hardly warrants enough pay to compensate for living arrangements like these for two people. How my father doesn’t see that, I will never understand.”

“I wasn’t going to argue with the fact that it isn’t a fair trade.” He stays quiet for a second, trying and failing to read her facial expression. “The only thing I don’t agree with is the part about Henry being oblivious.”

She sits up a little straighter, eyes locking with his when she asks, “So you’re saying that you’re fully aware that it’s taking advantage and yet, you still do it? _That_ is why I don’t approve of this arrangement.”

“Did Henry not tell you the circumstances that led to this?”

Rolling her eyes, she sighs. “Apparently, since you’ve walked into his life, my father has decided that he doesn’t need to tell me certain things, no matter how important they may be.”

Robin can’t help but smile at that. He was sure that Henry would’ve shared his story. He thought that was why she’d been a little more tolerating of him over the few days. “Hmm. Well, I can assure you that I am not meaning to take advantage. You only know a tiny portion of this story.”

“Yeah? Well, until someone enlightens me, I’ll keep my opinions.”

“Alright.” He takes a short sip of his tea before placing it in front of him. “What do you want to know?”

Her eyebrows move up in surprise as she studies him. “Why did my father invite you to live here? You and I both know that it wasn’t just in exchange for working on the farm.”

He sighs and twirls the cup on the counter. He offered but it still doesn’t make it any easier to talk about. “I was homeless for a short period of time. Your father found me and Roland when we were living out of my car and….” He pauses, takes a deep breath, and continues. “He saved us. He helped me get back on my feet.”

She takes a moment to digest the information though it isn’t necessarily shocking. She had a feeling that had been the case. She just has trouble with the picture of Roland sleeping in a car. “How did you end up homeless?”

He can tell that she’s assuming the same thing that most do. It hurts every time. He stands up and walks his mug to the sink, placing it inside and filling it with water. “Ask me tomorrow.” Once he’s done, he walks back toward the living room.

“What? That’s it?”

“Listen,” He turns around to look at her again. “This is a long story and it’s not a part of my life that I’m particularly fond of. It’s not easy to re-live so, it’s best to do in pieces.” Looking down at his feet, his shoulders slump a little. “I don’t sleep most nights and you can almost always find me here. If you’re up, feel free to come and ask again.”

She’s annoyed but, a part of her understands. She just nods. 

He finally turns and exits into the other room to go toward the stairs. “Goodnight, Regina.”

It’s the last thing she hears before he disappears.  
___________

The next night, she finds him sitting at the counter with a book in front of him. When she walks into the kitchen, he doesn’t even look up. “There’s hot water and a mug waiting for you next to the stove.”

She glances in that direction and sees _her_ mug sitting there. Walking over, she picks up the pot and pours some water over the teabags. “How did you know I would come?”

“Lucky guess.” He shrugs. “Ask away.”

After sliding in across from him, she sets her cup on the counter and leans back. “My question hasn’t changed.”

“How did I end up homeless?” When she nods, he sighs. “In order to explain that, I have to go a little further back than just a year.” 

“I’m listening.” She had to admit that she was incredibly curious. She only felt a little bad when she saw the sadness wash over his face the night before. 

“A little over a year ago, I lost my wife. I’d been stationed over-seas for the majority of the year before I lost her and I fell into a little bit of a slump.” He hasn’t looked at her since he started the story but, now he does, just long enough to say, “And before you ask, no. It was not alcohol or drugs.” 

She can tell that he’s being truthful by the look in his eyes. “I didn’t say that it was.”

“You were thinking it, everyone does.” He sighs, “By slump, I mean that I locked myself in the house and spent every spare moment with the one piece of my wife that I had left.”

“Roland.”

He nods. “I was grieving and I had a two year old to take care of. I didn’t really think about long-term. I spent what was left of our savings in the months after her death. I didn’t have a job, so I used it for bills and food…. Then, I realized that I was nearly out of money and I wouldn’t be able to pay rent.” He looks back down at his tea before taking a sip. Still, his eyes didn’t meet hers again. “I started looking for a job right away…I just couldn’t find anyone to watch Roland and childcare is so bloody expensive. I didn’t know what to do. I got kicked out of my apartment two months later.” 

His fingers dance around his left ring finger which, she notices for the first time is empty. “How long were you living out of your car?”

“Nearly three months. I really did try to find a job but, no one would hire me when I had Roland and no one to watch him. There was a woman at the grocery store that would give me the bread from the bakery every week. That’s where your father found me, waiting outside for her.”

“That couldn’t have been easy.” She’s not really sure what to say to that. She believes the story and she does feel sorry but, she’s still unsettled by the fact that he is living in her fathers home free of charge. He needs responsibility if he wants to build a life for him and his son. 

She’s torn from her thoughts when he stands up. “I’ll be here at this time again tomorrow, if you have any other questions.” He goes to walk away but stops short. “And Regina? I’m telling you these things not for your pity, but in hopes that it will help us be civil around one another. I know it would mean a lot to Henry.” He doesn’t wait for a response, just walks out of the room.  
____________

It becomes a nightly thing. Every single night, she walks downstairs at the same time and finds him sitting at the counter with a book. She asks one thing each night and he answers it without question. Then, he leaves. And every night, when she settles into her own bed after their talk, she feels a little bit more compassion toward him. 

It’s a slow process and, it’s mid-December by the time she finally starts to make more of an effort with him. It’s still not perfect and she’s still not _fond_ of him per-say but, it’s progress. 

The nightly chats only last about a week and a half before she has to stop and actually focus on getting sleep. She figured out that it was even harder to fall asleep after their discussions than it was before. So, a few days go by without her coming downstairs in the middle of the night and, for the most part, she’s able to get back on a normal sleeping schedule. It isn’t until she wakes up really thirsty one night that she ventures back out of her room. She doesn’t expect to run into anyone when she rounds the corner and hits Robins chest so hard that she nearly falls to the ground. 

His hands quickly grasp her waist just long enough to steady her and then, they let go. “What are you doing up?” She’s genuinely surprised to see him. It’s nearly four thirty, much later than he normally is up.

“I wasn’t lying when I told you I don’t sleep very much. Just because you’ve run out of questions that tempt you enough to have tea with me in the middle of the night, doesn’t mean that I no longer have trouble sleeping.”

It comes out a little harsh, like he’s slightly annoyed and it causes her to raise her eyebrows at him again. “Excuse me?”

He groans. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. I’m just tired.”

“Why don’t you ever sleep?” She’s slightly embarrassed. Not only did she nearly fall and knock him over at the same time, but she’s also now hyper aware of how inappropriate her pajamas for the night are for anyone to see them. She’s in frilly silk shorts and a silk tank top with lace along the edges. It’s not showing anything really but still, it’s not necessarily decent either. Leaning one shoulder against the wall, she crosses her arms over her chest in hopes of covering herself up just a little more.

“Another night, another question.” He looks away, “Look, that’s not one that I really want to answer at the moment. I, uh….excuse me.” 

With all of the dark and personal details of his life that he’s disclosed, she’s never seen so much despair on his face. She’s slightly shocked, rendered speechless while she watches him walk past her and turn the other corner toward his room. She waits until she hears his door close before she pushes off the wall and goes downstairs for some water. 

His lack of an answer only makes her more curious.  
_________

The next few days, he avoided her so, it comes as quite a shock when she hears a knock on her door late at night and she finds him on the other side. “Can I help you?” Judging by his appearance, she’d wager that he just got home from his work at Marcos shop. It’s only just after one, earlier than the talks they’ve previously had.

“I wanted… _needed_ to apologize for being so rude the other night.” His hand rubs at the back of his neck nervously when he asks, “Can we talk?”

Sighing, she opens her door just a little more. “Is this a short thing or something that we should be sitting for?”

“I’d prefer to be sitting.” 

Looking down at herself, she nods. “Let me change and I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes.” She can see the way his eyes trail down to look at what she’s wearing but she can’t quite read his expression when they do. It isn’t until he disappears that she closes the door and slips into leggings and a t-shirt instead of the shorts and tank she’d been wearing. When she finally walks into the kitchen, he’s already started the water boiling and has their mugs ready to go. She doesn’t say anything, just waits for him to talk. 

Once the tea is made and he’s sitting next to her-something he doesn’t usually do-he starts open up. ”I’ve never told anyone this before, not even Henry.”

“Is it something I should be worried about?”

“No, no. It’s nothing that would’ve changed his mind in letting me live here. It’s just… difficult for me to talk about.” He pauses and wraps his fingers around his mug tightly. “I got the call about my wife in the middle of the night. It as exactly two forty-three in the morning, actually. Ever since then, I’ve had trouble sleeping.” He sets the cup down and starts fidgeting with his fingers again. “Every night, I would have a nightmare right before that time and I’d wake up sweating and panicked. My whole body would shake for the rest of the night and I wouldn’t sleep at all. I started waking myself up at two thirty to avoid it and, it worked for a while…”

“But it doesn’t anymore?”

“It’s different now…" He shakes his head. “That night that your father found us… That was the year anniversary of her death and uh, I’d made a decision that night that, had your father not taken us in-“ A single tear falls down his cheek as he struggles to find the words. 

She can see the pain etched across his face and she’s worried. Her hand moves up to rest over his on the countertop and for the first time, she feels how he’s shaking. “What happened that night?”

“I decided that I couldn’t be a father to Roland any more. I was…. I was going to bring him to the department of child and family services the next morning.”

“Oh..” She’s got no earthly idea what to say to that. It honestly makes her want to cry, too. That kid is full of so much joy and loves his father immensely. She couldn’t imagine him being with anyone else. The foster system can change even the brightest of kids and the idea of him being there makes her sick. 

Wiping a tear from his eye, he continues to look down at his lap. “I didn’t want to. I just… I felt like I was being selfish, keeping him when I couldn’t give him what he needed.”

“All Roland needs is you.”

“I know that now.” For the first time since she placed her hand atop his, he acknowledges it. He turns his palm over so that he can actually grasp her hand. “At the time, all I could think about was doing what was best for him.”

The contact feels strange. The way he gently squeezes her hand sends goosebumps up her arms. Apart from the mishap in the hallway a few days prior, they’ve never really touched. It’s unsettling and, if he weren’t having such a hard time at the moment, she thinks she’d pull away. 

She doesn’t. 

“That’s admirable.” She pauses, looking down at their entwined hands. “May I ask why you’re telling me this?”

“Because… That night in the hallway. I didn’t wake up in time to ward off the dream and I was rude. I owed you an explanation.”

“Well, thank you.” Finally, she pulls her hand away and lets it fall to her lap. “I really am sorry for all you’ve gone through. And, I’m glad that you didn’t have to give up your son. No one should ever have to do such a thing.”

“I appreciate that.” When he glances at the clock and notices that it’s nearly two, he sighs. “I’m sorry for disturbing you so late. You should go back to bed.”

“You should get some sleep, too.” When he doesn’t answer her, she follows his eyesight to the clock, “Oh.” She is really tired but, leaving him right now feels wrong and she just knows that he isn’t going to even attempt sleep for another forty-five minutes at least. “Why don’t we put on a movie or something, hmm.” Getting up, she walks over to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of wine. “Want a glass?”

He looks surprised by the question. “You don’t have to stay up with me.”

“I know.” She pours two glasses, walking over and setting one down in front of him. “If you want to stay in here by yourself, that’s fine. I’m going to go put on a movie in the living room and relax.”

He joins her about five minutes later, wine in his hand as he settles on the opposite side of the couch. He’s in awe of how small she looks the way she’s sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest like they are. He’s never seen her look so comfortable and care free. “Thank you.”

She glances in his direction briefly before turning back toward the tv. “Don’t mention it.”

A few hours later, he wakes up surrounded by warmth and he’s confused. When his eyes finally open, the first thing he sees is her dark hair. It takes a minute for him to realize where he is and what’s going on. Regina is laying in front of him, back flush against his chest and he knows that this was not intentional. So, as comfortable as he is, he forces himself to get up. It’s a bit tricky, climbing over her and shifting his weight in a way that won’t wake her up but, he manages. Once he’s off the couch, he lets out a sigh of relief. After grabbing the blanket off of the couch and draping it over her, he takes both wine glasses to the kitchen and rinses them out. After returning them to their spot, he flicks off the light and walks back toward the living room. He glances back one more time before he goes up the stairs to his room, a small smile on his face. He’s glad he told her. 

——————

After that night, they spend a little more time together. They talk while she brushes Rocinante and he tends to the other horses, they’re a little more friendly during dinner and, they even have lunch together while Henry is out. Before, if her father wasn’t home, she’d made herself scarce. Now, she doesn’t quite mind spending time with _both_ of the Locksley boys. 

It isn’t until five days before Christmas that she senses a change in him. For a solid week, they’d been on good terms. She’d almost consider him a friend, even. Then, suddenly, he started acting distant and being short with her. Not in a rude way but something was clearly going on. He was avoiding her just like she did to him when she first got home. 

She tried to bring it up a few times but he was always elusive or too busy to even talk in the first place. With each passing day, she got more and more irritated. She had finally come around, had finally changed her opinion of him and that was not an easy thing for her to do. And now he was being a jerk? 

The night before Christmas, after both her father and Roland had long since gone to bed, she wrapped herself in her robe and walked downstairs. It was too early for him to be down there yet but she knew she wasn’t going to sleep anyway. So, she settled on the couch with her favorite book and a mug of hot cocoa-a Christmas tradition for her. And she waited. 

When he finally came down the stairs, she dropped her book to look at him and waited. He hesitated the moment he saw her but quickly looked away and finished his journey toward the kitchen, pretending she wasn’t even there. Letting out a huff of annoyance, she threw her blanket to the side and stood up, following him.”What’s going on with you?”

He didn’t look at her, just kept fidgeting with his mug. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Bullshit.” Leaning against the wall, she crossed her arms over her chest. “One day everything is fine and we’re actually getting along and now you’re avoiding me. What happened?”

“Nothing. I’ve just been busy.”

“That’s a lie and you know it.” The fact that he’s lying to her now, about this of all things… It makes her so angry. She doesn’t understand how someone could open up about all these dark details of their past and then close themselves off so quickly. “Tomorrow is Christmas, Robin. You wanted us to be civil and we finally got to that point. Now you’re going to fuck it all up right before Christmas?”

When he turns to face her, his hands move to grasp the counter so tightly that she can see his hands start to change color. “The holidays are the hardest, Regina. I’m just trying to make it through. It has nothing to do with you.”

“That’s not true either. The first part maybe but, it _does_ have something to do with me, doesn’t it? I can see it in your face.”

“Can you please stop asking questions for once?” He groans. “I have five more months of living here and all I’m asking as that you make them a little easier by leaving me be for a little while. Please.”

“What? I don’t understand you, Robin.” She rolls her eyes. “You’d think that us being civil would make it much easier to live here but now, you’re pushing me away? And for no reason?”

“Just because I’m not willing to share it, doesn’t mean there isn’t a reason.”

Her eyes widen and she’s overcome with anger. “Why don’t you just leave then, if you can’t stand me that much?”

Slamming his hands down on the table, he grunts in annoyance. “You have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Well, if you’re not going to tell me, I have to go with what I’m seeing. You won’t even look at me. I don’t know what I’ve done to make you that disgusted but, if this is how you’re going to act in the foreseeable future, you should just leave.”

“Don’t you get it? I can’t leave! I made a promise to your father and I won’t do _anything_ to disappoint him. Not after what he did for me.” His voice goes a little louder than it should with two sleeping people in the house and he winces. 

Walking over to him, she grabs his arm and pulls him toward the back door. Grabbing one of his sweatshirts off the hook, she shoves it in his arms. “Put this on, and those.” She motions to the boots.   
“Why?”

“Because. You clearly need to get out all this anger and I need to know what’s going on. Two things that are best done away from sleeping people.” She pulls another hoodie off a hook, also his though she doesn’t seem to mind as she slips it over her head. When he doesn’t listen right away, she rolls her eyes. “Put the damn thing on before I yank you outside without it.”

He’s momentarily frozen in his spot, struck speechless by the ease with which she pulls his hoodie over her head and how large it is on her. But, when he catches her glare, he does as she said. Not a moment sooner, she’s dragging him outside and toward the stables. Once she’s shut the barn door, she turns to him again. “Now, do you care to tell me what this is really about? My father is the most understanding man on the planet, if you want to go, he’ll let you go.”

Robin sighs, sinking down onto the bench. “I tried twice. Back in November, I’d already had enough money saved to provide for myself and Roland. Your father convinced me to stay saying that it made more sense to wait until Roland was closer to starting Kindergarten.” Despite the cold weather outside, he’s hot. Completely riled up with emotion. Yanking the sweatshirt back over his head and dropping it on the bench next to him, he continues. “His logic made sense. It would mean avoiding paying for childcare and Roland is much happier with Henry then he would be with anyone else. I offered to leave again the night that you got back. When I saw the was you looked at me and how you talked to me, I went to Henry and told him that I was going to leave. I didn’t want to get between you two and I figured that he only wanted me to stay that long because you were getting back in June anyway.” He feels like his entire body is on fire as he talks and it takes all his self control not to yank his shirt off too. “He told me no. He said that you were stubborn and protective but that you meant well and you would come around. He said that he wouldn’t allow me to be chased out of the house by you when we had a deal.” He can’t take it anymore, he pulls his shirt off and throws it on the floor, fanning his face as best as he can with his hand.

“What are you doing?” When he tells her he’s hot, her mouth falls open. “Are you insane?”

“Maybe.” He hesitates. “No. I just… I get these hot flashes from time to time. Part of the PTSD from my time over-seas. It’ll pass soon.” 

“Okay, I think you need to sit down.” She walks over to where he’s pacing and puts a hand on his bare shoulder, trying to stop him. 

He flinches. “Please, don’t touch me. Not right now.”

She puts up both her hands in mock surrender. “None of this explains why you’re suddenly so disgusted by me.”

“You seriously don’t get it… I’m not…”

“Then what is it, hmm?” Crossing her arms over her chest, she starts to pace, too. “What does this have to do with me, with why you’re avoiding me?”

“When Henry told me that you’d come around, I knew I had to try and get in your good graces. It’s why I answered all of your questions. I knew that the six months of living here could be hell if you and I didn’t make amends. I just… I didn’t think that we would actually grow to like each other.” 

“And that’s a bad thing, why?”

He groans again, “Why the fuck is it so hot?”

“I swear if you take off your pants, I’m leaving.” Regina’s eyebrows quirk up and she smirks. 

“Shut up.”

Her smirk grows slightly, not that he’s looking at her. Walking over to the barn doors, she pulls them open slightly. She walks over and grabs his hand, grasping it even tighter when she feels him try and pull away. “How long do these hot flashes typically last? You’re going crazy and it’s not flattering.” He rolls his eyes. After dragging him toward the door where the cool air is entering, she lets go of him. “Now answer the question already.”

He lets out a relieved sigh, arms stretching over his head to let the cool air hit as much of him as possible. “I didn’t think I would _like_ you. And I was wrong.”

“Like me as in…”

“As in, you’re the daughter of a man that I look up to immensely and want in my life forever. I shouldn’t be thinking about you in the ways that I have been.” Again, he groans, looking anywhere but at her. 

“Oh.”

“Now do you see why I wanted some space?” 

“That’s it? That’s why you’ve been such an asshole the past few days?” She smirks. 

He looks up at her and shakes his head. “How are you so calm about this of all things?” 

“Everyone craves intimacy around the holidays. It’s just a phase, that’s all.” She blushes slightly. “Avoiding me isn’t the answer.”

“I don’t think you understand. I can’t be… Not all of the thoughts I’ve had of you recently have been of the intimate type. It’s-“

“I don’t need the details.” 

“Can you just shut up, please.” She’s still smirking and he’s suddenly annoyed. She’s got no idea. “Henry has done so much for me and for my son. He’s been a mentor and a father figure. He’s been a rock. And I don’t want to do anything to risk upsetting him or coming off ungrateful. He’s the only family that Roland and I have.” Regina’s smirk fades into more of a proud smile as she listens. “So, in order for me to ensure that nothing ever happens to that bond, I need to make sure that I don’t do anything to hurt the most important person in his life.” He’s finally cooled down, walking away from the door and toward the shirt that he’s thrown carelessly on the floor. He pulls it over his head in one swift motion. 

“So, we stay friends.”

He nods as he leans over to grab his hoodie, too. “Yes, and in order to do that, I need to get over you first.” His back is to her when he says it and it isn’t until he’s pulled the sweatshirt over his head that the turns to face her again. 

Her eyes are wide and the smirk she’d had plastered on her face a few minutes ago has disappeared. “Get over me? When… I mean how…”

“Haven’t you been listening? That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. “It doesn’t matter, Henry wouldn’t approve and god knows I would never do anything to hurt him so, I just need to get over it.” Glancing at his watch, he see’s that it’s already after three. “We should really go back inside. I still have to put Roland’s gifts under the tree.”

She’s frozen in her spot until she watches him walk out the doors. Then, she’s quick to follow. She catches up to him just as he’s reaching for the doorknob of the back door. Grabbing his arm, she pulls on it until he turns to face her. “You can’t just walk away after dropping a bomb like that. What do you mean by ‘get over me?’” 

“I _mean_ that I need to stop feeling the way I feel about you.”

“And what _exactly_ do you feel?”

“I think you already know what I feel.” He sighs. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really need to put my sons presents under the tree and get to bed.” 

She doesn’t stop him again, just watches him open the door and walk toward the closet in the hall and pull down boxes from the shelves. Without another word, almost as if she was in a daze, she walks back upstairs to her room and closes the door behind her.  
_____

She doesn’t sleep. 

About thirty minutes after she closed herself in her room, she heard him walk up the stairs and shut his own door. Her mind is reeling. She’d be lying if she said that she didn’t find him attractive. He was, and was certainly her type. And, over the last week or so she did notice that he’s easy to be around. He keeps her on her toes, that’s for sure. 

She just never would’ve imagined that he felt something more. And to drop that on her so suddenly? She had no idea what to say. The truth it, she’d thought about it. She didn’t love him but, she did _like_ him. Her father liked him, too. The thought had crossed her mind a few times. It was usually at night though, when she was laying in bed alone. What she felt for him is exactly what she assumed he’d felt for her when they were talking in the barn. 

It just didn’t make sense.

By the time her clock reads five-thirty, she’s completely given up on making any sense of the situation on her own. Pushing her covers off her body, she gets up and walks over to his room, knocking lightly. 

It takes a minute or so for him to answer but, as soon as he pulls open the door, she shoves past him and into the room. He groans, muttering sarcastically, “Please, come on in.”

“You owe me more of an explanation. How did this happen?”

He shuts the bedroom door and crosses his arms over his chest. “Beats the hell out of me.”

She stops her pacing abruptly to look at him. “I’m serious, Robin. How do you know that you lo… I mean, like me?”

“You can say the word love, Regina. It’s not going to kill you.” Sighing, he walks over to the bed and sits on the edge. “I’ve only ever been in love with one other woman and, I couldn’t forget that feeling if I tried. For me, it was this pounding in my chest when she did certain things. Butterflies in my stomach every time I was close enough to tough her. And, no matter how long we were together, I never lost the urge to kiss her each time I saw her. That’s how I knew.”

Hands on her hips, she tries to read him. “So with me, your heart pounds when…”

“When you’re with Roland and you think no one’s watching, even when my son just talks about you. When you let your father win at rummy. And, when you take care of your horse.”

She suddenly feels dizzy but forces herself to keep moving. “Uh… and the um.. the butterflies?”

He smiles softly as he looks down at his hands. “Those started the night that you grabbed my hand. We fell asleep on the couch together and you were cuddled up to me when I woke up. The feeling was so string that I had trouble leaving you. And then, when you touched my shoulder tonight….”

“I don’t remember falling asleep that night.”

His eyes only move upwards for a brief second. “Me neither. It was the best..um _sleep_ I’ve had in a long time.”

That makes her smile and she almost forgets why she’s so distraught over the whole situation. “And… the last thing? You..uh.. want to kiss me?”

His shoulders slump for a second before he forces himself to sit up a little straighter. “Unbearably so. Every single time I see you.”

The statement causes her heard to beat wildly in her chest and her stomach to tighten. Time stands still as she stares into his eyes, looking for any sign that this could be a game but all she see’s is sincerity. It gives her the confidence to admit what’s holding her back so much. “I’ve never been in love.”

His eyes shoots up and he tilts his head to the side curiously, “You haven’t?”

She shakes her head. “I thought I was once, when I was in high school. I was wrong.” She paces a few more times before she sits down next to him on the bed, making sure to leave some space in between them. “I wouldn’t even know what it felt like.”

“I can’t help you with that. It’s different for everyone.” His blue eyes meet her big brown ones and he lets out a shaky breath, forcing himself to move away just a little more. “It doesn’t matter. I..I can’t risk upsetting or losing Henry. No matter how old you are, you’ll always be his baby girl. He’s given me so much, I can’t ask for more.”

“What makes you so sure that he’d disapprove?” She moves just a tad closer to him, just enough to make up for the extra space he put between them. 

“He knows me, he knows my past.”

She nods, “And, has he ever judged you for it?”

“You already know the answer to that.” He obviously hadn’t, the man gave him everything he needed to start a life. “It just doesn’t feel right. Besides, you don’t feel the same way and you deserve better anyway. You should find someone who doesn’t come with a four year old son and a ton of emotional baggage.”

“Maybe.” She shrugs, looking down at her entwined fingers. “But, that sounds awfully boring. And I love Roland.”

He can feel that pounding in his chest again at her words and his hand moves up to rest over his heart. “He loves you, too.”

“Is it happening right now?” She glances down at where his hand rests over his heart, emphasizing the question. When he nods, she slowly moves closer and pulls his arm away, replacing his hand with her own. The beating under her palm is surreal and incredible all at the same time and, after a moment, she feels it reciprocated in her own chest. Her free hand moves to rest over her own heart and, when she feels the two beating almost in sync, she’s overwhelmed with emotion for the man across from her. How, in only a month, she could be in love, she doesn’t fully understand. But, she thinks she just might be. 

He’s looking at her curiously, oblivious to the thoughts running through her mind. “Regina?”

“Hmm?” Her eyes are closed when she hums out her response. A second later, she feels his fingers on her skin, dancing around her ear and trailing ever so gently along her cheek. Her eyes open just in time to watch him move away and stand up, leaving her hand to fall to the mattress.

He walks briskly toward the door, almost as far away as he could get from her within these walls. “You should go…Roland and Henry will be up soon, I’m sure.”

When she stands up, she feels the pounding in her chest start to slowly subside but, it’s been replaced with butterflies in her stomach. A souvenir that he left when his lingering touch faded from her cheek. She doesn’t say a word as she walks toward the door. He steps aside when she reaches fro the door knob though he’s still standing close. Instead of turning the knob, she makes a decision right then and there that she doesn’t let herself overthink. Spinning around, she grabs his shirt and pulls him toward her, crashing her lips to his. One hand stays fisted in his shirt while the other immediately moves to the back of his neck. He’s clearly surprised, though he responds eagerly, pushing her back against the walk until her body is flush against his. 

The whole interaction sends shivers up her spine and goosebumps flaring up all over her arms. When they break apart, it’s with heavy breaths and slightly swollen lips on her part, not that she’s complaining. 

“I… I don’t know what to do.” Robin breathes out. 

Her lips curve into a small smile as she runs her hand over his stubble-covered cheek. “You could do that again.”

He chuckles. “No. I mean… That… just made this so much more difficult.”

Raising an eyebrow, she tilts her head at him. “I’m afraid I don’t follow. If anything, I’d say that it made things much more clear.”

His fingers dance along her cheek again. “Now that I know what that feels like, it’ll be much harder to resist the temptation.”

“There’s a simple solution to that.” She pulls him just a tad closer, just until their lips are almost touching. “Don’t resist the temptation.” Closing the distance, she kisses him again, tongue dancing with his. 

He lets out a little moan , pushing her further against the wall before forcing himself to pull away. “No…” 

“I’m an adult, Robin. I can make my own decisions.”

“I’m aware.” He steps back, trying to put some more distance between them. “Still doesn’t mean that your father will always approve of said decisions. I can’t be someone he doesn’t approve of.”

Regina is about to argue, to tell him that he shouldn’t be worried about such a thing but, he’s clearly upset and by the time that she’s worked out the best way to approach the subject, he’s pulling open the door and walking out. He disappears down the hall before she even has a chance to call his name.   
__________

She goes back to her room and takes a long hot shower, taking the solidarity to really think about the way she feels. By the time she’s dressed and makes her way downstairs, everyone else is already up. Robin avoids eye contact all through out breakfast while Roland chatters on about how excited he is to open his gifts. 

Once that time comes, she and her father sure up together on the couch and watch as Robin sits with his son on the floor and hands him one gift at a time. He doesn’t have many but, the child is clearly thankful for each and every one of them. She’s in her own little world, only brought back to reality when a gift falls into her lap. It’s addressed to both her and her father but, apparently she’s the one that’s supposed to open it. She looks between her father and Robin as she pulls the wrapping paper off of the gift, curious. She never expected to see what was inside. 

A slab of wood with her favorite photo expertly carved into it. Even with just the outline, it was incredibly detailed and showed every bit of emotion as the original photo. She cried as she rand her fingers over ever inch. “This is beautiful.”

Robin shrugs his shoulders. “It isn’t much but-“

Henry sits up from his spot next to Regina and leans forward, pulling Robin up from the ground and hugging him. “It’s perfect. So incredibly thoughtful, thank you, son.”

The man simply nods, a small smile spreading across his features. Then, when he makes the mistake of glancing in Regina’s direction and seeing the admiration on her face, his heart sinks. “Would you mind watching Roland for just a few minutes? I.. I need to take care of the horses.”

“You don’t have to worry about that today, it’s Christmas.” Henry insists. 

“I want to, please.” And without another word, he gets up and walks out of the house. 

She waits a minute or two, trying to decide what to do next. She wants to follow him but she knows he’ll only push her away again. Any doubt as to whether or not she loved him faded away the second she saw the gift he’d made by hand. If she wanted to be with him-which she now knew that she did- there was only one way to make that happen. She needed her father’s blessing.

“Daddy?”

Henry looks up at her from where he’s sitting at the coffee table playing with Roland. “Yes, my love.”

She stands up and helps him do the same, leading him into the kitchen and away from little ears, just in case. “I have something to ask you…or, better yet, tell you. I just need you to have an open mind okay?” When Henry nods, she asks again, “Promise?”

“What’s wrong, Regina?”

“Robin…We’ve become friends, I suppose.” She hesitates. “And, I… _we_ both want something… more.”

Henry’s eyes go wide. “You do, too?” When Regina nods, Henry laughs. “I knew Robin had feelings for you, I just never thought he’d act on them.”

“He didn’t- wait… You knew he had feelings for me?”

“It was obvious, dear.” Henry rolls his eyes playfully. “I didn’t know you returned them, though.”

“I do.” She smiles. 

Henrys grin morphs into a genuine smile, wide and clearly happy. “Then why are you asking for my permission? God knows you do whatever you want anyway.”

She laughs, relief flooding over her when her father smiles at the news. “Robin was worried that you wouldn’t approve. He didn’t think that he was good enough.”

“What a silly thing to think, he’s a good man. I’d be thrilled to have him as an official member of the family.”

“Wow, daddy. A little ahead the game there.” Still, she’s thrilled. “Excuse me?” Even though she posed it as more of a question, she didn’t wait for an answer. Running outside, she took the path that led to the stables and pulled open the barn door. 

The moment she does, he turns to face her with a defeated warning of her name, “Regina.”

She doesn’t say anything, just walks over to him and pulls him down toward her. She lets herself sink into it when their lips finally meet again and she holds him tightly to her for as long as possible. The moment they break apart, he goes to object again but she doesn’t let him finish. “He’s ok with it. I asked him and he said he approves.”

Robin pulls back, hands on her shoulders so that he can look at her face. “What?”

Pushing herself onto the wooden table in the corner, she smiles and yanks him back toward her until he’s standing in between her legs and she can pull him down for another kiss. “You heard me. Now shut up and kiss me.”

He doesn’t question it any further and, when she grabs his hand and places it on her chest, the pounding beneath his palm spurs on the beating of his own heart. 

**Author's Note:**

> So thankful to all who have read this already and left such sweet reviews! Shoutout to the many people who let me vent and worry about this story to them and thank you to Morgan for the title! 
> 
> I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a happy new year! I’m looking forward to another strong OQ year♥️ Xoxo


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